Gentiana lutea L. and

Ponticelli, Maria, Lela, Ludovica, Moles, Mariapia, Mangieri, Claudia, Bisaccia, Donatella, Faraone, Immacolata, Falabella, Roberto & Milella, Luigi, 2023, The healing bitterness of Gentiana lutea L., phytochemistry and biological activities: A systematic review, Phytochemistry (113518) 206, pp. 1-27 : 11

3.4. Gentiana lutea L. and atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is one of the major causes of mortality in industrialized countries. It results from hyperglycemia and lipid oxidation and is considered a disease of the vascular intima since the entire vascular system, from the aorta to coronary arteries, may be involved ( Rafieian-Kopaei et al., 2014). Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to several vascular events, including stroke, coronary artery diseases, and peripheral artery diseases ( Taleb, 2016). The atherosclerotic process is characterized by several steps, including inflammation, lipids deposition, a proliferation of smooth muscle cells, and plaque formation. As a result, it is possible to observe an abnormal blood vessel narrowing due to arterial wall thickening, which causes insufficient blood flow ( Rader and Daugherty, 2008). In this condition, to avoid total arterial obstruction, surgery is performed. However, one of the adverse events of this intervention is the recurrence of blood vessel constriction due to excessive vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation ( Dzau et al., 2002). To counteract the overcome of restenosis end to contrast the excessive growth of VSMC, anti-proliferative compounds, e.g., rapamycin or paclitaxel (Taxol®), are generally administrated. Nevertheless, these drugs are characterized by several side effects; thus, alternative compounds from natural resources are demanded. Several studies have demonstrated that G. lutea extract and its compounds possess anti-atherosclerotic and anti-proliferative effects, making it a candidate as a potential drug for treating this condition.